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Thomas and Anya mask their disappointment when Carl tells them that they're going to stay with their aunt for a while. When he drops them off at the bus stop for their first day at school, they don't want to go and suspecting that their dad doesn't care either way - they decide to skive off. Later, Chas informs Carl that she saw the children hanging around the factory. He's annoyed at being disturbed but heads out to search for them. Meanwhile, the kids are running through the fields behind Butlers and end up covered in mud. When they finally show up on the doorstep, Carl tells them that he's not angry, just disappointed. When Anya complains of a sore leg and a rash, Carl's convinced that it's from nettles in the fields, so quickly dismisses her complaints. Later that night, however, Thomas panics as Anya's rash begins to spread. Carl's alarmed to see Thomas has the rash, too, and races them to hospital. The doctors are concerned by their symptoms and as the nurse leads them to an isolated ward, they're warned that their suspected disease - Meningococcal - is highly contagious and dangerous. Nicola and Jimmy are terrified that Angelica's also been exposed and Carl despairs that his children are in mortal danger because of his neglect. Filled with guilt and terror, he tells Chas that he'll never forgive himself if something happens to them. Elsewhere, Nathan and Natasha are at their wits' end with Maisie as she continues to binge drink. When Diane refuses to serve her, Maisie goes into town alone and ends up having a drunken one-night stand with a stranger she meets in a bar.